Woodall to Deliver Keynote Address for Drug Court Graduation

Rep. Rob Woodall (R-GA-07) will deliver the keynote address during the May 20 Gwinnett County Drug and DUI Court Program graduation ceremony.

The drug court program provides comprehensive drug treatment, supervision and participant accountability. Twenty-eight participants are expected to graduate.

The graduation ceremony, the 20th since the court was founded in 2005, is being held in conjunction with National Drug Court Month, a celebration of 20 years of using the drug court program to deal with substance abuse offenders.

According to Priscilla Woolwine, director of the treatment court programs, the Gwinnett County Drug and DUI Court Program reduces correctional costs and improves community safety. Participants are closely supervised and randomly tested for drug and alcohol use.

“Research continues to show that Drug Courts work better than jail or prison, better than probation and better than treatment alone,” Woolwine said in a released statement. “Drug Courts are this nation’s most effective strategy at reducing recidivism among seriously drug addicted, nonviolent offenders with long criminal histories.”

Woolwine said 75 percent of individuals who complete drug court are not re-arrested and save up to $13,000 per participant.

“Drug Courts are a proven budget solution and must be expanded,” said National Association of Drug Court Professionals CEO West Huddleston. “This May, all across the nation, thousands of people are graduating Drug Court with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to serving their community. This is changing the face of our justice system, not only saving lives but saving critical resources.”